Personal electronic devices, such as selective call receivers, continue to be in high demand. The market for these devices is increasingly competitive, and cost pressures are seen not only in the physical manufacture of such products, but also in tuning, testing and programming the products. Each selective call receiver is unique in that it makes use of a decoder which is programmed to make the selective call receiver responsive to a predetermined signal. Hence, each selective call receiver must have its decoder programmed individually. Early methods of programming, for example, required opening the selective call receiver housing and inserting a code plug or altering several connections therein. Disassembly was time consuming and presented an undue risk of damage.
Alternatively, an opening can be provided into which a plug-in control module can be inserted for electronically programming the selective call receiver's decoder. Selective call receivers, however, are often used in environments whereby unwanted foreign material could enter the opening, thus adversely affecting the selective call receiver.
An improved method of programming a selective call receiver decoder is described by Hughes in U.S. Pat. No. 4,283,796, whereby the decoder is programmed by removing a battery cover and battery and inserting a module therethrough for connection to the chassis. The decoder can thus be programmed without disassembly and the selective call receiver is not unduly exposed to foreign matter. Similarly, Ishiguro et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,330, provide access to a write terminal through the battery cavity. Accessing the chassis in the manner described in the cited art, however, requires removing the battery and supplying the required power for testing purposes via an alternate connection. Additionally, removing the battery, in some instances, changes the antenna loading conditions. This in turn, increases the difficulty of making accurate RF tuning adjustments and other testing measurements.
Programming and testing issues are exacerbated by the continuing decreased size of selective call receivers. Current selective call receivers can approximate the size of credit cards or fit within wrist-watches. Yet it is desirable to reduce costs by increasing the efficiency of programming and testing the selective call receivers in spite of the decreased available area for making connections thereto.
Thus, what is needed is a connector that provides access to a selective call receiver chassis for both programming and testing while simultaneously providing power with the appropriate antenna loading.